Insulated rail-joint.



L. GRIFFITH.

INSULATED BAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.20,1913.

1,107,666. Patented Aug.18,191

i reason ll,

" PATEN clinics.

LfiWRENCE GRIFFITH, OF YONKERS NEW YORK.

mscmrnn Esra-sown Specification of Letters Extent.

Application filed March 20,1918. Serial No. 755,601.

[my concern wn that I, LAWRENCE GRIFFITH, in United States and residentin the county of Westchcstcr, York, have invented certain usciulImprovements in Insulated mists, of which the following is a spcilicstion i of the main objects of this invention use-d an .meciion withtie plates under mil t the necessity of placing insuand All between saidtie plate.

* n practice in insulated rail plates are used to insert or othersuitable hard insu between the railbsse and This is objectionable forthe g ed and des 'inering or ounding of the rail thereon. I It is munifeL therefore that to provide .in ellicieot uletcd rail joint in which liebe used said dates and the mils in direct contact, is very desirable. oftie pistes has become practically 'l modern railroad building andpractically necessary, therefore, t". s under the rail joints.

a ct of the invention is to proridc tic plate especially adapted for;iniprovi Lil oin? construction.

Anotb t t of the invention is to proan insulating strip or sheet ofpeculiar form for us in the insulated rail joint and also pro? a shortmotel filler piece to i connection 'witli the insulating of theinvention is to insulating sheet and the e thot the metal filler piecertion of the wear ocillllilg or the car wheels U uni or space betweenthe the metal filler and the c t that the insula from between the ithntdisturbing is to provide it rail joint which Hilly be the insuletionis soon disinteaycd by the constant hum- There are other importantobjects and advantages of the invention which will appear hereinafter.

In the drawing, Figure- 1 is a. transverse vertical sectional view ofthe joint onthe line I-I of Fig. 3; 2 a similar view on the. line II-Ilof Fig: 3; F ig. 3 a side elevation of the joint; and Fig. 4sperspective view of the insulating sheet and the filler piece, theseparts being shown in the relative positions which they occupy in theassembled joint.

Referring to the various parts by nu merals, l and .2 designate the railends which are separated by the usual insert of insulation 3, Under therail 1 is arranged a tie plate 4 and under the rail 2 is arrziiwed a tieplate 5. These tie plates ore broad and extend a considerable distanceoutwardly beyond the longitudinal edges ofwthe mil bases. The tie plate4 is formed with an upwardly extending shoulder -6 which is adapted tobear against the longitudinal 5 is formed with a similar shoulder? whichis adapted to engage the longitudinal edge.

of the base of the rail 2.

Splice bsrs 8 and 9 are employed; and said splice bars are formed withoutwardly extending base flanges 10 and 11,said flanges extendinoutwardly a considerable distance beyond :3 e longitudinal edges of thebases of the rails, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2. interposedbetween the splice bars and the rails are insulating strips or sheets 12and 13, the insulation 12 bein interposed between the splice bar 8 andtie rails and the insulation 13 being-interposed between the splice bar9 and the rails. Each insulating sheet is formed with the vertical web14; the upwardl and outwardly extending member 15 w ich is adapted tofit between the upper surface of the splice bar and the under side ofthe rail head, and with the downwardly and outwardly extending meanber16 which is adapted to fit between the base flanges of the splice barand the upper surface of the base of the rail. The upper member 15 andthe vertical Web portion bits securing the splice bar to the other inFigs. 3 and 4.

rail passing through openings, in the web of the insulating sheet. Thisconstruction and arrangement of parts'is shown clearly Fitting in thecut out part of the insulating sheet and taking, the place of the cutout portion of said sheetis a metalfillerpiece 17. This filler piece isin the form of a steel strip or sheet bent to conform. to the. shape ofthe turcs 20 are smaller than the apertures 21.

and are so arranged that the spikes 22 contact with one edge thereofand'draw or force the shoulders 7 and 6 against the longitudinal edgesof the rail bases. The spikes 22 are in direct contact with the tieplates. In

the apertures 21 are arranged insulating bushings 23 and through thebushings spikes 24 are driven. It isma-nitest that said insulatingbushings insulate the spikes 24 from the tieplates. The spikes 22 and2-1 are out of direct contact with the rails and only the spikes 22 arein electrical connection there with through the tie plates.

The splice bar 8 is completely insulated .ironi' the rail 2 and the tieplate 5 on which said rail rests. Joint bolts 25 are insulated from thesplice bar 8 and rail and joint bolts 26 are insulated from splice bar5). raii 1 and tie plate 4. It is manifest that as rail 1 rests directlyon tie plate 4 it is unnecessary'to insulatesplice bar 8 from said railor said'tie plate in view of the fact that said splice bar is completelyinsulated from rail 2 and its tic plate. it is also manifest; that asrail 2 rests dircctly on tie plate 5 it is unncccssa v t insulate splicebar 0 from said rail in view of the tact that said splice bar iscompletely insulated from rail 1.

it is obvious that I provide an insulatcd rail joint. in which a minimumamount of insulating material is used and at the same time provide ticplates under each rail which are in direct el ctrical contact therewith.The mctal till r pieces 17 receive the greater part. ot' the strainoccasioned by'thc passing car whccls and to a large cxtcnt prcrcnt thesintcgration oi the fibcr arranged between the bcad ol thc rail and thesplice bar. This tiller piccc is particularly cllcctivc in preventingthe disintegration of the tibcr when arranged as shown. for thc rrasonthat the rail rcsts directly on the metal tic plates.

This gives a very rigid support for the rail ends. the entire jointbeing practically as rigid as anon-insulated joint provided with tieplates.

The filler pieces are approximately onchalf the lengtlnot the splicebars and receive all of the bolts passing through one rail. By ieason ofthis arrangement it will be unnecessary to completely dismantle thejoint when renewing the fiber parts. If it he desired to remove theinsulation 12 it is only necessary to remove joint bolts 25 and slightyloosen joint bolts :20. The insultetion 12 may then be removed and a newpiece inserted and the bolts 25 replaced. If it then he desired toremovcthe insulation 13 joint bolts 26 may be removed thus permittingthe insulation 13 to he slid lengthwise from the joint and a new sheetinscrted. it is thusmanifest that at all times one side of thcjoint/bolts and both splic bars may be maintained in position in thejoint. It is, of course. necessary to draw the spikes fr m splice bar 3when removing the insulation 12; and to remove the spikes from splicebar 9 when removing the insulation 13.

It is manifest that by my construction and arrangement of insulation andfiller pieces, said picccs are reversible and may be used on either sideof the rail. It is also clear that the tiller pieces and the insulationmaterial for both sides of the rail arc of the same shape anddimensions. This facilitates the nmnutacturc of the parts and rcndcrsthe assembling of the joint :1 simple matter which can be readily:u-complishcd. is no special selection of parts required. it being onlyucccssary to arrange the insulation and the tiller pieces so that theywill be oppositely disposed or in staggcred'relation to each other.

What I claim is:

l. .\n insulated rail j int c mprising a pair of splicebars. insulatingmaterial between the spliccdmrs and the rails. a pair of tic plates onefor each rail cud and in direct electrical ontact therewith. a metaltillcr piece for ach rail cud and arranged between the tail and thcuppcr surlacc oi the splicebar. said filler picccs lacing arranged onopposite sidcs ot' the rail. nicans for securing onc mid of curbsplice-bar to a tic. said sccuriug means bciug out of contact with tin.-adjoining tic plate.

2. .\n insulated rail joint comprising a pair of splicwbars. rail ends.nsulating mat'crial betwccn said raii curls and the splice bars. one ofsaid rails lining complet ly sulatcd from one splice-bar and thc otln rrail being completely insulated from thc other splice-bar. a llltlttltillcr pic c intcrp'oscd bctwccn each rail end and a spli -o bar.'saidtillcr picccs being on opposite sides of thc rails and at opposite cndsof thc joint There l 3 ti and in eat means for ured for the passage ofthe joint 1 H L/Ulth,

3. An mmlnlul l'flll jUlIlt'; comprising the met-ting; ends of two ails,a pair of splicelm imulntmg material between the spliceears and theUlllS. a pair of shouldered tie plates one for each rall end, and 111direct u :mpri the pair of repli s '1 mil in dim tl"illi'litl mhmettherewith, said tie plates 3th 1 st wide: n extenrhng' mltwznrlly beyondthe edges of the the longitudinal 111mg maternal he one of.[illiff-ljillth a metal tiller piece for each rail end and arrangedbetween the rails and the upper surfaces of the splice bars, said filletlwihg: m; ngel on opposite sides of j. m rails and, =1, bppOSllfi sidesof the ligmmi berm-en the rails, means for i-ili lti'iliig the insulatedend of each splicet mad means being out of contact live-hair. said meanspassing through the tie. plate.

7. An insulated mil joint comprising a plhe-l ar. rail ends, insulatingbetween and rail ends and the a MW of snhl l lllhll lllfj completely frm one splive-har and the other zmulnted from the :1 metal filler pint-einterm'h sail end and the s plieelltllg on opposite sides l ppo -i:e (H-td of the joint, plrtt! under oath rail end 'hl contort therewith.waiting outwardly beyond oi the hplicia-bm's meum for secure wltnpleteiy insulated splice-liar to a means In! :ing through but beingout of eontaet with the adjoin- IUaS for wearing the non- S. w fiflllfll'itlrfi to a tie, said 'r uough th tie plate.

1 mil Mm Hltllhllllgl" two "an joint may :1 metal tiller belt iitl :zmone joint, :1 correwthwu the other rail gz iht lung ihwlntion forlmlmlhzgg a head wtion hen" rind on" rail head, one of :"l'z'll-ii'rt,lwl a lmwtlv opposite nmlnting" time vwojoiu-T lmr and the flanges 9section living integral head sea-lion, the metal ed relation on oppo-Hills and thohead Sections in nlnlioh lw'lw also in agent-d relaon on opw lv b ew of the mils.

lt' h will joint 'comprising the oi two rails, Splice bars. in-

1thezaplh-elnrmnidtheruils, ill mil end ml in ele(: mid tie plateslwiilg r ilutlit from each other, lie plates being connected to one spliee her and unconnected with the i 0 mylmen' i hair.

other splice liar and each of said tie platvs i vxtontling' ()lllWHltll)beyond the splice ball l to \\'l1lt'll it inot, connovtml. 10. Aninsulated mil joint comprising the l meeting ends of two rails, split-eburs, insulin 1 tion between lllL splice ban and the mils :1 tic platelllltlcl' ezu'h I'ilil end and in elm-trio contm't therewith, Stlltl ticplates being 010C tl'ically discount-elm] from each other, mm of Silltltic plntwbeing conncvtetl to one splice 5 bar and unconnnctctl with theother splice bar and each of said tic plates extending out wanlly beyondtin splice bill to which it is nut connew-iml, and each of will. tieplates iving fornmjl Will! u slmnldm' adapted ll} 15 vngug'e (mulongitudinal irtlgu. (if the) DPMQ 0f the mil with whirh it in inawnnlzzct.

F. R. M 1mm.

